


My Legacy

by Rainbow_Transform



Series: Time Flies Past [5]
Category: Black Panther (2018), Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: "Thanos will return", Fluff and Angst, Fuck that movie, Gen, Hands, I hate it, Nebula and Tony are friend, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), They Are PARTNERS, Tony and Shuri are friends, WHAT THE BULLSHIT, You can pry this out of my cold, dead, fuck it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-05-14 06:12:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14764151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbow_Transform/pseuds/Rainbow_Transform
Summary: (Because his bots won’t mature. They won’t grow up, or grow old. They will be there forever, maybe even after everyone Tony knows cares about them are gone. And then what? They’ll rust their joints, they’ll break down, they’ll be scrapped, they won’t be sa-)(OR: Tony's Family, as it shrinks and grows but he never gives up.)





	My Legacy

**Author's Note:**

> Fuck that movie.
> 
> Enjoy the reading.

Dum-E was made with one goal in sixteen-year-old Tony Stark’s mind: create a life, a grandchild, for his mother. And, maybe, something more impressive for his father. He was made with those _two_ goals, then it spread across Tony’s mind. _What if he was more? An intelligent, learning robot?_

 

And, so, Dum-E’s purpose switched from something for Maria Stark, to Tony Stark’s mind. Through sleepless nights, Rhodey getting him cups of coffee and staying up with him, not doing his schoolwork (which didn’t matter because he was ahead of them already), through music blaring twenty-four seven, to collapsing due to lack of hydration and food.

 

Tony created his first robot - and his first _child._

 

_(And Dum-E was Tony’s child, despite the world kept telling him. Dum-E was special, but he was learning.) (He had a little disability, but that was okay. Because despite his oldness, rust building in his corners every so often, having to oil his joints sometimes, Tony loved his son with all his heart.)_

* * *

 

Tony created U to be Dum-E’s friend, after his parents die. (It also didn’t help Dum-E kept beeping at him for a brother or sister.)

 

When he presented U to him, Dum-E lowered his head. He wanted a sister. Tony laughed and told Dum-E he was sorry, that he’d get a sister soon. But he’s got a little brother now.

 

U held cameras, and recorded Tony being himself. Tony knows he records him even when he tells him _not_ to; but U is young, Tony reminds himself. U’s young and of course he won’t listen. When he matures - and Tony almost staggers.

 

(Because his bots won’t mature. They won’t grow up, or grow old. They will be there forever, maybe even after everyone Tony knows cares about them are gone. And then what? They’ll rust their joints, they’ll break down, they’ll be scrapped, they won’t be sa-)

 

U and Dum-E beep at him and Tony calms. He smiles at them with fake happiness and swallows the anxiety building in his throat.

 

“I’m okay,” he lies. They don’t seem convinced and he tries to smile again but it’s forced.

 

“Hey, do you want a sibling?” He asks and gets a face full of foam. “Dum-E!” He calls, angrily before yanking it off and looking at the bot.

 

He’s beeping cheerily, yes, but he’s not the one with the fire extinguisher.

 

“U!” Tony gasps, whirling at his second child. _“No! I knew Dum-E was a bad influence!”_ He cried, trying to pry the extinguisher from U.

 

_(And, U joined Tony’s family. And Tony loved him, despite Dum-E turning him against Tony every so often. (Tony didn’t care.) And Tony oils their joints again and again and before he leaves, if he’s not too drunk, he’ll mutter the words “I love you,” to them. And every morning he’d return just to hum the songs his mother would sing; and they would rest.)_

* * *

 

Butterfingers was a something a little late to the party, Tony supposes. They weren’t met to meet their brothers, just yet, since Tony didn’t know if it’d be a boy or a girl. When he presented the problem to the child, they’d just spun around, beeping.

 

So, they didn’t get a gender. (Which was a-okay.)

 

And Butterfingers kept dropping things (which is why they’re called ‘butterfingers’).

 

And Tony presented it to both of his sons, and they’d beeped. Asking if it was a boy or a girl. “Neither,” Tony replied.

 

“They’re neither.”

 

_(And they were accepted, one big happy family that Tony knew he’d grown attached to and loved them.)_

* * *

 

JARVIS was a spur-of-the-moment. His three children stood by him, staring at the lines of code, of ones and zeros asking who it could be.

 

 _Is Daddy doing something?_ Butterfingers asks.

 

 _It looks like he’s making someone else,_ U replies.

 

 _But he’s not building them a body. What would they be doing?_ Dum-E beeps and spins.

 

“He’s not gonna be like you guys,” Tony says, his eyes glued to the screen. “He’s going to be different. He’s going to learn differently than you guys.”

 

And the ‘bots beeped noisily.

 

* * *

 

JARVIS was introduced three weeks afterwards. “He’s your new baby brother,” Tony told them. “You’ve gotta teach him some ways - _not with the fire extinguisher!”_

 

* * *

 

JARVIS asks what he should be. What did Tony want him to be?

 

“Anything you want, buddy,” Tony says without hesitation. “You can be anything you want.”

 

And the ‘bots continued beeping behind him.

 

_(And JARVIS was accepted into their fold, like he’d always been there. But the roles reversed, and instead of Dum-E teaching JARVIS everything he knew, JARVIS began teaching Dum-E. (In exchange for information on Sir, of course.) Dum-E was so excited, though they planned on having a sister._

 

_“I do not know why he does not want a female AI. Perhaps it has something to do with Peggy Carter?” JARVIS answered. “I apologize if I am not what was expected.”_

 

_The family reassured him, having a brother was just as nice as a sister. (But, enough brothers!))_

Their father made weapons, mindless things for their country. “I don’t exactly like it,” he told them. “But it’s something to do, you know?”

 

 _I want more siblings,_ Dum-E said. His father laughed, eyes bright. “I think three’s enough for right now, buddy,” he said before turning back to the mindless thing.

* * *

 

Their father leaves, and doesn’t return for three months.

 

For every day, JARVIS kept them from shutting down by giving them things to do. _“Look at the state of the workshop,”_ he’d say.

 

 _It’s too clean,_ Butterfingers mumbles.

 

 _Way too clean,_ U replies.

 

 _Mess up?_ Dum-E suggests.

 

 _“Not too much,”_ his baby brother replied. _“Just enough to make sure it looks like someone hasn’t been in it.”_

 

And, so they mess it up. And every few days, Pepper would come down. She’d cry, scold, and tell them they were “bad” for messing up the room. Then she’d pick everything back up and place them in the proper order.

 

_“Ms. Potts, Sir likes the workshop a mess.”_

 

And Pepper smiled sadly. “I know,” she whispered. “But it gives me an excuse to come down here other than ‘checking on the robots’.”

 

_“Of course, Ms.”_

 

But then she’d leave - and _“It’s too clean.”_

 

 _Mess up!_ They’d beep in unison, and do the same thing over and over again.

* * *

 

Pepper comes bounding down the stairs, eyes bright and she tells them “He’s alive! Tony’s alive!”

 

She does not care about running into the wrench on the floor below her, and she just laughs and laughs.

 

_(And the lab erupts in beeping, shouting, and crying.)_

* * *

 

Their father comes back home with something in his chest - something _bad_. But he also has a fire burning in his eyes, and something else hidden behind his face.

 

“Wake up. Daddy’s home.” He says and they all beep in relief.

 

“I missed you, too,” he replied.

 

_(And he did. He didn’t tell Yinson because if he did, they would have gone after them to make him create the bomb. He missed them, his weird misshapen family made of Robots and four humans.)_

* * *

 

He is betrayed by Obadiah, and his family crumbles to three robots, one AI, and three humans.

 

He can’t bring himself to care for it.

* * *

 

He is dying from the one thing keeping him alive and he can’t bring himself to truly care for it.

 

_(He wonders if the ‘bots are going to be okay, and appoints Pepper as the CEO of the company. He hires ‘Natalie Rushman’ - what a fucken joke - as his new secretary and then he’s being attacked by a man with whips of energy. Tony is drunk, and he’s flying, and he adjusts one of the suits just for Rhodey and Rhodey gives it away and he shouldn’t have but Tony knew it was coming and he doesn’t mind because Rhodes’ll get it back and if he doesn’t Tony’ll sue the US for everything they got and he’ll be president and he’ll make everything okay.)_

 

_(Somehow.)_

 

 _(And, surprise, he’s not dying anymore but they want him on a team and he fires Natalie - no, Natasha ‘cause_ **_fuck_ ** _her, really. But then she helps save Rhodey from the Armor that Tony created, and they begin to fight Vanko, and Tony doesn’t really know why Vanko’s attacking_ **_him_ ** _, but does at the same time. Sins of the father, Tony guesses._

 

 _And then Vanko dies and Pepper falls and Tony catches her and she quits as CEO and he laughs and they kiss and then Tony’s reading a stupid fucking report that Natasha made while he was fucking_ **_dying_ ** _, but he’s so deep in his self-doubt that he doesn’t see the hypocrisy while he’d read.)_

 

_He thinks of his bots, and agrees to consult - not fight.)_

* * *

 

When he decides to take a nuke into space, he isn’t doing it just for New York.

 

_Pepper_

 

He wants her to live, to have a long life. To have children and to fight for what she believes in. He wants her to know he loves her, and he calls her. She doesn’t answer, but that’s okay. Really.

 

_Rhodey_

 

Rhodey needs to let loose, have some fun. Live his life like he’s meant to and not just be a stick-in-the-mud. But that’s okay, too. Self-control’s good, and Rhodey’s always been Tony’s.

 

_Happy_

 

He’s always there for Tony, whenever he needs him. Whether to drive, or if he just needs to sit down. He’s good for keeping reporters away, too.

 

_Dum-E_

 

His first child. The one thing he knows is something beautiful and pure in the world. He doesn’t want to make him worry, so he didn’t tell him where he was going. Sure, Tony always threatened to donate him but he thinks Dum-E knows he’s joking. (He hopes he does.)

 

_U_

 

U is perfect. He’s special. And Tony loves him, despite U being turned against him over and over again to play games with Dum-E’s sense of humor. Tony hopes U knows he’s more than just a camera-holder, that he’s part of a family.

 

_Butterfingers_

 

The slightly-difficult but not so child. They’re going to be great, one day, Tony thinks. They’re going to be in their own league of the world. And they’re going to be pretty great at it.

 

_JARVIS_

 

JARVIS was Tony’s first learning AI, and he thinks he did a good job with him. JARVIS will tell the truth, and he’ll keep the others safe. He won’t let anyone harm them and if they do, Tony hopes JARVIS remembers that list he’d thought he’d buried deep enough to hide from Tony’s eyes.

 

_The World_

 

Children deserve a place to grow up. A place where it’s safe, and nice, and perfect. They deserve a place where someone’s waiting for them at home. A place where their parents don’t die because of drunk driving. A place where a Merchant of Death doesn’t exist.

 

So, Tony takes the nuke into space, and the stars whisper and blink at him. They reach for him, grip him tight, and whisper “Soul, soul, soul,” before their light withdraws, and explosions begin.

 

And Tony Stark falls.

* * *

 

Pepper’s kidnapped.

 

Happy’s in the hospital.

 

His family is destroyed.

 

Tony vows revenge.

* * *

 

He gets it.

 

Damn, does he get it.

* * *

 

He rebuilds the three bots, doesn’t sleep, doesn’t eat, doesn’t talk to the Avengers who decided that they’d take up Tony’s offer of the tower.

 

“Stark, if this is your way of greeting us, we’re a little depressed.” Clint says but Tony doesn’t answer. Instead, he just flicks him off and goes back to the lab.

* * *

 

When they’re finally done, Tony hums a sigh of relief and slumps against the couch Rhodey put in the lab years ago. “You’re going to die going up those stairs.” He told Tony one sleep-deprived night. “I’mma put that one old couch, you remember from college? Down here, so you don’t die.”

 

And he did.

 

And Tony slept, for a long, long time.

* * *

 

Of course, it messes the fuck up when Tony sees everyone die from that witch’s mind powers.

 

Ultron wasn’t supposed to be bad. He was supposed to be _good,_ to protect the _world_ from the threat that was coming. He’s suppose to _know._

 

But the scepter is evil and it turned his son evil, too.

 

And his son killed JARVIS.

 

And Tony had to introduce FRIDAY to a world of chaos.

 

_(FRIDAY shouldn’t have been introduced that way. She’s quick to arm herself, to defend herself. She was born into chaos, not like JARVIS. JARVIS was born into a calm, controlled environment; FRIDAY was born into Tony’s mistake and he was sorry he introduced her to that._

 

_But the bots always wanted a sister._

 

_FRIDAY should have been introduced to a environment where she will learn of herself, and try to be what she wanted. Instead, she was introduced in an Ultron bullshit._

 

_She doesn’t fill the hole JARVIS left, but she is apart of the family and while they mourn, they mourn together.)_

* * *

 

Vision is JARVIS, Tony, and Bruce mixed together. Vision is what Tony had in mind for Ultron, and Vision is his grandchild.

 

Tony keeps the tears back when he hears Vision’s voice, keeps back the hurt and pain. He takes away from his Battles two things: we need control, and Wanda Maximoff’s hatred is _not going to go away._

* * *

 

“Don’t talk about JARVIS to Vision.”

 

“He isn’t JARVIS, Stark. Don’t.”

 

“Listen, JARVIS is gone.”

 

“He was just a computer, Tony.”

* * *

 

“What’s wrong with you?”

 

“Why’re you in your lab all the time?”

 

“What’s that?” A flash of red, and the witch grabs the phone from Tony’s hand. “What does this mean?” She questions.

 

“It’s JARVIS,” Tony replies.

 

 _“Tony!”_ Steve says, exhaustion seeming to leak through every pore. “Why are you remaking JARVIS?”

 

“I have to,” Tony replies. “He’s gotta be around here so FR-”

 

“Tony. FRIDAY’s fine. We don’t need JARVIS.”

 

“FRIDAY _isn’t_ ‘fine’! She was born into chaos and-”

 

“Who’s fault is that?”

 

Tony opens his mouth to reply before the witch’s magic crushes the phone.

 

“Don’t.” She says darkly before stalking away.

 

( _And Tony can’t plead his case. That FRIDAY needs to calm down. To learn to trust people who’ve earned it. To learn what she wants to do. To learn what she wants to_ **_be._ **

 

_But nobody listens.)_

* * *

 

Civil War happens. Pepper leaves, but that’s okay. Family leaves but they always come back. (Hopefully)

 

The witch puts Vision through _seventeen_ floors. Seventeen.

 

And she claims she ‘loves’ him.

 

Tony thinks it isn’t love.

 

Vision thinks it is.

 

Tony tries to correct him, but he doesn’t listen.

 

He acts like Bruce, running away rather than listening. Or maybe that’s Steve mixed in.

 

Tony gets a fourth human to place into his family, and it’s a sixteen-year-old boy. Tony almost laughs.

* * *

 

_The Winter Soldier killed his parents._

 

_The Winter Soldier killed his parents._

 

_The Winter Soldier killed his parents._

 

_The Winter Soldier killed his parents._

 

He turns and begins the fight - for his mother, who he made DUM-E for; for his father, who he only wanted to make proud. He fights the man who his father believed was the one thing good he had brought into the world.

 

_Tony’s mind snaps._

* * *

 

It’s the Dora Milaje that help him. T’Challa tells him that the others escaped, while he grips Zemo, who grins all the way.

 

Tony doesn’t answer. He just stares out the window.

 

“Something big is coming.” He tells T’Challa. “It’s coming, and they won’t listen. Criminals. That’s what they are. If you see them -” and he pauses, sighs. “When you see them, tell them all to go to Hell.”

 

“I will,” T’Challa’s eyes sparkle with amusement, but also pity.

 

“Good.” Tony turns away, and doesn’t eat anything given to him. He gives the shield to T’Challa - “My father stole it anyway. It doesn’t belong to me. Wankanda’s finally getting it back, right?” - and he walks off the plane, into the night.

 

The Dora Milaje don’t say anything, but dark looks are cast behind their King’s backs. Stark said ‘them’ which could mean Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. _Or,_ it could mean that other ‘guests’ are coming.

 

T’Challa sets a course for Wakanda, for _home._

* * *

 

They do have more guests when they arrive, and the Dora Milaje looks at each other.

 

The Futurist is smart, yes. Not their princess smart, but he’s smart enough.

* * *

 

Vision leaves Tony, but that’s alright.

 

He’s going to be with Wanda.

 

That’s alright.

 

That’s Bruce talking.

 

And Tony can’t fault him.

 

It’s okay.

* * *

 

“I’m calling…” the girl’s voice is young and she has an accent. FRIDAY must’ve given her a bad tongue-lashing before Tony got there.

 

“I’m calling because I know where the Ex-Avengers are.” She whispers, and Tony can _feel_ FRIDAY’s amusement.

 

“Wakanda,” Tony prompts.

 

“How did you -”

 

“I’m the Futurist. Tell Kit-Cat that next time he comes to America to come talk to me, that’d be great.”

 

“‘Kit-Cat’?”

 

“Black Panther.”

 

“I do no-”

 

“Princess Shuri, are you really trying to tell me you don’t know T’Challa?”

 

“How did-”

 

“You’re smart, kid. Real smart. I know. You’re just like me. The smartest mind of your generation. The thing is, kid? You’re signature is everywhere on the hacking. FRIDAY picked out the keystrokes you used and how you’d done it. She collects a lot of data. This isn’t the first time you’d hacked my system. You tried it on JARVIS, once.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“He reprimented you?”

 

“He told me to stop or he’d be forced to tell you.”

 

“Yeah. I found that little nugget of information a while back, after he’d…” A swallow. Tony shrugged. “But that’s cool. What did FRIDAY do?”

 

_“I used her own system against her, and used her hacking to get into Wakanda’s system. Then, I turned off the power to her and the other lab.”_

 

“FRIDAY!” Tony scolds.

 

 _“She decided hacking_ **_me_ ** _was the best idea,”_ FRIDAY sounded angry.

 

“I know, but you don’t shut off power to people’s labs! That’s not good. Remember when John Poltz did it to you?”

 

 _“Yes.”_ She sounded sulky.

 

“Apologize.”

 

_“I’m sorry.”_

 

“It’s alright.” She’s giggling.

 

“Listen, when T’Challa comes, you come with. I’d love to talk to you and bounce ideas off.”

 

She stops. “I don’t know.” She says.

 

Tony shrugs. “Just a thought. I’ve got this kid, real smart. You’d like him.”

 

“I’ll see what I can do.” She says before hanging up.

* * *

 

T’Challa comes, alone, and Tony explains to him how he knows. He explains that he’s not going to tell.

 

“Why?”

 

“The world needs some type of sanctuary from the Avengers.” Tony says as if it’s obvious. “ _Your_ warriors can keep them in line if push comes to shove. And, plus, they trust you enough.” Tony shrugs.

 

“It’d be fucked up if I just turn right around and turn them - and you - in for no other reason than putting them in the same place they’d just break out of again. Plus, I like you and your sister.”

 

“You spoke to Shuri?”

 

“You haven’t?”

* * *

 

Of course, just when everything’s going well and Tony’s family is together, it all goes to shit.

 

_Thanos beckons near._

* * *

 

He stays with Strange and tries to keep Peter out of trouble.

 

He meets Star-lord, or Peter Quill, and knows that he’s looking for someone he loves.

 

And Tony’s prepared for the worst when Thanos arrives.

* * *

 

_“How many timelines do we win?”_

 

**_“One.”_ **

* * *

 

He knows it’s part of Strange’s plot when Peter starts hitting Thanos. Strange isn’t stopping him, Tony is. So, Peter needed to hit the bug lady off of Thanos, in order for them to win.

 

And then Tony gets a fucken _moon_ dropped on him.

 

That fucking sucked.

* * *

 

He gets a _drop_ of blood off of Thanos. Just a drop, but that’s enough.

 

Until he gets stabbed, and he’s ready - so ready to die. He’ll die alone, yes, but he’ll die for the Universe’s fate.

 

And he sees a flash of brown hair with blue eyes and he closes his eyes.

 

The kid that won’t ever be born laughs in his mind and opens his hand. “Come one, Daddy,” he laughs playfully. “Let’s go home.”

 

And then the kid’s gone and Strange’s voice murmurs something and _Thanos gets the Time Stone._

 

“Why did you do that?” Tony questioned at Strange after Thanos disappears and he seals up his own wound.

* * *

 

Everyone begins to disappear, to turn to dust, and Peter - _his kid!_ \- says “Mr Stark, I don’t feel so good.”

 

And he collapses, whimpering “I don’t wanna go,” over and over, scrambling. Tony lays him down, and he whispers “I’m sorry.” before he’s dust.

 

And Tony’s thinks.

 

Pepper.

 

Rhodey.

 

Happy.

 

May.

 

They could all be gone.

* * *

 

The blue girl who’d asked where Gamora was from Thanos first tells him they have to go.

 

He agrees.

 

His eyes are steel, his mouth tight. And he turns to her. “Let’s go.” He demands, walking briskly away.

 

She follows at his side.

 

The stars twinkle above with sadness, and Tony fixes the Guardians’ ship. They won’t use it again.

* * *

 

“My name is Nebula.” Bluie tells him when he asks.

 

“I’m Tony Stark.” He says. Nebula nods.

 

“The Stars speak of you.” She replied.

 

“I know.”

 

“You hear them?”

 

“I did. When I drove that damn nuke into space before I fell they kept repeating ‘soul’.”

 

“Yes. Thanos heard them when I was born. He said that they call me ‘Body’. And that was why he kept me.”

 

“Body and Soul, huh?”

 

She nods. “Body and Soul.”

* * *

 

Nebula is added to his family. There’s no denying it. They were made to be partners as the Stars whispered around them.

 

 _“Body and Soul. Body and Soul.”_ They chanted. _“Body and Soul will defeat the Mad Titan.”_

 

Nebula doesn’t acknowledge them and Tony doesn’t say anything to them, either.

 

Instead, Body and Soul go searching for the Mad Titan.

**Author's Note:**

> Come to my Tumblr.
> 
> Come constantly scream in the void with me, yeah? (@rainbowtransform)


End file.
